Thursday, April 5, 2007

I'm an evolutionary biologist. I study the evolutionary ecology of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria, see inset). No, we aren't really evil as the title of this blog suggests. We just think that biological phenomena is best explained by evolutionary theory, and if evolutionary theory contradicts long cherished beliefs formulated in ancient societies, so be it. Personally I think there is much wisdom in the ancient beliefs, but we can't expect all these beliefs to be correct, or even relevant, today. The only constant is change, and we, as a species, must continually adapt. Science is the only belief system that truly adapts to changing circumstances.

I'm going to post thoughts about things that excite me. These may naturally be as random and idiosyncratic as my interests at present, but generally speaking, I'm interested in evolutionary biology, molecular biology, genetics, ecology and parasites, particularly bacteriophages. Once a week I will post on a Citation Classic i.e. science papers that, for me, best epitomize the aesthetics of science. Contrary to common belief, science is an art, and some art is more beautiful than others. These papers mainly will fall among my major interests.

Me

About Me

I'm an evolutionary biologist who studies bacteriophage life history stochasticity and the population dynamics of host/pathogen interactions I'm currently affiliated with Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center. I can be reached at john.dennehyATqc.cuny.edu